Challenge Accepted
by BR125
Summary: Castle and Beckett find a fun way to settle an important decision; "Gangster City is not just a game, it is the latest in virtual gaming technology, a true 3D experience, not even on the market yet, prototype actually, but lucky for me I know a guy."
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: I know this is a little different, but I wanted to have some fun with Castle and Beckett finding other ways to settle minor issues besides laser tag, see my other story Totally Inappropriate, and this is what I came up with. I am rating this T for suggestive situations and language. **__**I do not own Castle, the characters etc., add in all the other usual disclaimers here. **_

_**Thank you to Tammy for the use of her fantastic fan art - you can find her on twitter at Tamiie_ or Tumblr at**_ tammycoccinella. tumblr

_**And to ******__JoanaCTeixeira for your photoshop skills! _

_**Please note that words in italics are coming from the game itself, virtual characters, misc. voices over the phone, police radio etc., not Castle and Beckett. This will probably end up being about 3-4 chapters total. Constructive reviews are always welcome and appreciated.**_

Stretching her arms and legs, back arching, a small smile pulls at the corner of her lips; Saturday, her first one off in what feels like an eternity. Her eyes slowly flutter open, the sunlight shining in through the blinds creating shadows, thin strips of darkness that fall across her skin. Raising a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn, her eyes come to rest upon the shadow box on the wall, their shells; Mrs. Castle, she can't believe that in less than a year they would be married. If someone had told her five years ago she would be engaged to Richard Castle, she would have laughed hysterically and called for a psych eval., but now she can't wait.

A light coating of frost on the window pane, a signal that the weather man was correct for once, today was predicted to be a cold day, a perfect day to stay in bed; and if she was going to stay in bed, she could definitely think of something or more specifically, someone to do. Inwardly groaning at her horrible pun, her left hand slowly sweeps the bed behind her, the sheets surprisingly cold to the touch. Umm, now that is odd, it's not like Castle to be up before her, especially if she has a day off. The heels of her hands rise up to rub away the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes, the distinct sound of mumbling coming from the office catches her attention. Pausing to indulge in one last stretch, throwing back the comforter, she grabs her robe from the chair beside the bed, heads towards the office and pulls open the door.

"Castle! Have you been playing that game all night?

Nothing, not a response at all, his fingers beating out a steady rhythm on the buttons of the controller, eyes glued firmly to the screen in front of him. Glancing around the room, her eyes take in the discarded candy wrappers, numerous empty soda bottles and his disheveled appearance; she doesn't need him to answer, he most definitely had. Spinning on the spot, all previous thoughts of doing anything even remotely related to spending the day in bed with him has been replaced with all the ways she could kill him instead. She heads to her dresser and grabs her jogging gear, dressing quickly, spurred on by the frustration pumping through her, she straps her IPod to her arm and heads back into the office.

"Castle, I am going for a run...naked."

"Ummm...sounds great, take a coat."

"I may be gone awhile, I saw Demming yesterday and he asked if I wanted to have coffee."

Her mouth agape, as she watches the scene before her unfold; without even a glance in her direction, he waves a hand at her in dismissal.

"Alright have a good time"

Closing her eyes, she draws in a deep calming breath, counts to ten and exhales it slowly. Fore finger and thumb squeeze the bridge of her nose, her eyes once again scan the disaster that used to be his office and she feels the pressure of a headache starting to build just behind her eyes. Forcibly tearing her gaze away from the aftermath of Hurricane Castle, she strides across the room, carefully avoiding the trash that litters the floor, grabbing his ear and twisting.

Gasping, startled by her touch, his whole body shifting away, his free hand flying up to cover his heart. "Owww..Apples! Apples! Geez Beckett, way to give me a heart attack", but as his eyes meet her murderous gaze, suddenly a heart attack seems like a pleasant way to go. He's seen that look before, where was that again, that's right, Animal Planet, right before the lion took down that poor gazelle, a shudder travels through his body as he recalls the scene.

Straightening up, she releases his ear from her vice like grip, placing her free hand on her hip, the toe of her Nike tapping against the hard wood floor in annoyance.

"Castle! Did you hear a word I said?"

Removing the headset and dropping the controller, giving himself the extra few seconds to come up with an answer, to a question he didn't hear, and from the look on her face he's relatively sure she knows he didn't hear it either. No matter, he can do this, its morning, it's Beckett, and he vaguely remembers the topic of coffee and going out; he goes with the odds.

"Yeah I heard you, coffee sounds great and could you grab me a bear claw?"

Well at least the video game has not completely destroyed every brain cell, although, he missed the naked jog and coffee with Demming, so maybe she should be slightly concerned about partial brain damage. Storing that thought for another time, right now she needs to either shoot him or go for a run; weighting her options for far longer than she would ever admit, the latter seems to be the best choice; if only to avoid the tricky body disposal issue. Arms crossed over her chest, head tilted slightly, she gives him her best eye roll.

"You know what Castle; I was going to ask you to "warm" me up this morning, but seeing as you're going to be too busy cleaning up this mess." Her hand gestures in a sweeping motion around the room. "I will warm up on a run instead."

At the sound of the front door slamming shut, he rises up from his seated position on floor, and heads into the kitchen to grab a garbage bag; he really did make a mess. His knee protests with each bend as he gathers up the miscellaneous wrappers and discarded bottles carelessly tossed in his video game haze. Chucking the last piece into the bag, he collapses with a grunt onto the sofa, relaxing back into the cushy surface. A quick glance at the clock perched on his desk; he surmises that it will be at least an hour before Beckett will return from her run. Running his fingers along his jaw, the rough stubble scraping along the pads of his fingers; perhaps a shower and shave is in order. Pushing himself up and off the sofa, his eyes fall to the soft glow emanating from the buttons on the controller, the green power button pulsing, his fingers twitch in synch with its steady beat. Like a sirens song drawing him in, bewitched, he sinks slowly to the floor, grabs the controller and depresses the play button.

* * *

Stepping off the elevator and releasing the Velcro strap on her iPod armband, she fishes her key out of the hidden compartment on the back. Inhaling a deep breath, as she slides the key into the lock, silently praying that he is not in the exact the same place she left him in an hour ago.

"Oh my god Castle! What is it with that idiotic game anyway?"

His whole body flinches at the sound of her voice; his head snaps back, the controller momentarily bounces in his hand, eyes wide in shock. "Holy shit Beckett!" Blowing out a quick breath, his heart beats a thundering staccato in his chest. "This is the second time today you have almost given me a heart attack! Seriously, I need to put a bell on you!" Pausing, he draws in long breath, feels the adrenaline draining from his body, his heart slowly returning to its normal rhythm. "And for your information, Gangster City is not "idiotic", it's awesome! It is going to be the next big thing, I am sure of it. You just don't want to play because you know I would beat you mercilessly. This game requires hand to eye coordination, quick reflexes and the ability to think on the fly."

"Really Castle? You do realize that you just described all the things I do on a daily basis, I am a cop remember?"

"Well, you have been sending Espo and Ryan out to do all the work lately, maybe your skills are getting a little…rusty."

"Rusty! Alright Castle you are on, but let's make this interesting, when I win and I will, I get to pick our honeymoon location and….no more video games on my days off. And by the way, the only thing that is rusty is the shovel I am going to use to dig your grave after I beat you."

"And when I win, and of this I have no doubt, I get to pick the honeymoon location and your "attire" for the trip."

Squinting her eyes, brow furrowing, teeth sunk deeply into her lower lip, he can tell he's losing her, just one last push.

"Of course you could just concede defeat before we even start Beckett, save yourself the humiliation of losing to a civilian. I have the TheBootyBoutique. com book marked; I saw a few items that caught my eye last time I was there."

"You're on Writer-boy!"

His excitement barely contained, he leans over and begins digging into the box on his left.

"This is going to be awesome Beckett! Since you are going to play with me, we will be using the two players setting which means I will get to test out the virtual glasses."

"Easy Kitten, it's just a game and after ignoring me this morning you better enjoy it, I have a feeling this is the only "play" time you will be getting any time soon."

"First of all Beckett, don't be jealous, your still my favorite toy, and secondly; Gangster City is not just a game, it is the latest in virtual gaming technology, a true 3D experience, not even on the market yet, prototype actually, but lucky for me, I know a guy."

"Yes, "lucky" is exactly how I feel having been sucked into your gaming extravaganza and on my first Saturday off in forever. I am curious though, seeing as you are probably easily approaching hour ten of your gaming marathon, can you actually still feel your ass, or have you crossed the threshold of fond memories of ever actually having one."

"Your concern for my ass is touching detective, but you may want to pay attention here so you don't get yours handed to you in the game."

"Ugh... go on Castle, but maybe you could pick up the pace a tad, you are not getting any younger."

"Big talk from someone I caught checking for grey hairs yesterday."

"I was most certainly not Castle! Maybe you should get your eyes checked, you know at your age glaucoma, cataracts, and host of other eye issues are always possible."

"You know you are really killing the mood here Beckett."

"Welcome to my world"

"What?"

"Nothing, please, by all means continue."

Raising a questioning eyebrow, knowing she said something, but choosing to leave the battle for game time, he continues.

"When you put these glasses on, the image on the lens is the game, the image you would normally see on the television. Just like real life, we will not be able to see each other until we are occupying the same area, like a street, building etc. You control your characters movements with this controller and you can interact and communicate with me, and the coolest part is you are able to interact with the virtual characters as well through the headset."

"Maybe they will actually pay attention when I talk."

"Very funny Detective, are you done interrupting me?"

"Continue Castle, I am listening to you, unlike some people, I pay attention when you talk."

"The red bottom fires your weapons, blue cycles through your inventory; guns, wardrobe, etc. The knob controls character movement, and if you flip the controller up towards you it becomes a steering wheel. I am going to set it for a custom match, three kills to win, and full weapons."

"Now for the fun stuff, you want to be the cop or gangster Beckett?"

Dropping heavily down next to him, flattening her palms to the floor, she pushes back, stretches her long limbs straight out in front of her, grabs the controller and relaxes back into the couch.

"Cop, definitely."

"Then, that leaves me as the gangster. Are you sure Beckett? As a cop, civilian kills will take one of your lives. Gangsters and criminals are fair game, of course"

"Yes, plus it's been forever since I have arrested you personally, you know I am a sucker for nostalgia."

"If you want to use your handcuffs on me Detective, all you had to do was ask."

"Don't hold your breath Castle."

Snagging the controller from her, a menu pops up on the television, her virtual self taking shape with each click of the button. After cycling through various selections, even she has to admit that the likeness is uncanny. With a nod of satisfaction, mischievous twinkle in his eye he passes the controller back to her open hands.

"You named her Detective Heat? Really Castle, is that the best you can come up with?"

"Well Beckett, this is your virtual self, and seeing as Nikki is your alter ego per se, in the world that I write on paper, which is a virtual world unto itself, it's really the obvious choice."

"What! That doesn't make sense in the real or the virtual one."

Raising one sculpted eyebrow in challenge, she holds her hand out in front of her, palm up.

"Hand it over Castle."

Brow furrowed in concentration, her fingers begin taping a quick rhythm on the buttons, with a smug smile, she tosses the controller back at him.

"Ricky the Mouth?"

"Well Ricky, you talk too much in real life, so I have to assume your alter ego will talk too much in the virtual world as well, so clearly, it's the obvious choice."

"That made more sense when I said it."

"Let's just play...Ricky."

Stretching his legs out, and crossing them at the ankles, rolling his head on his shoulders, his finger hovers over the start button, with one last glance in her direction, he puts on the glasses as he simultaneously hits the start button.

Raising the glasses to her eyes, controller clutched in her hand, the scene opens before her, a police station, not unlike the 12th, other officers milling about, phones ringing, a hub of activity. She's mesmerized by the realism, the feeling as though she is actually in the game, the ringing of her desk phone draws her attention.

**INTERIOR 6****th**** PRECINCT**

"Becke…..Heat!"

_This is Dispatch; we have a 211S in progress at Grand Savings and Loan._

TBC

_**Additional AN: A 211S is a robbery alarm, silent. The TheBootyBoutique. com is from my other story **__**Totally Inappropriate, if you want to go check it out. **__**If you would like to follow me on twitter you can do so at Pak_321 I also have an additional twitter account where I use the quotes to recreate the scene from the show, twitter sized. You can follow that at Castleficlets **__**Once again, thank you to TSHLW for the hours spent helping me put this story together, beta skills, story suggestions and encouraging me to keep going when I thought that this story was a little out there, even for a fanfic. My thanks KJF3333/Flashpoint, for putting up with reading multiple versions, your super ninja beta skills and story suggestions, you both are the best. And a shout out to at JoanaCTeixeira for taking the time to read my stories in advance and share her opinions, I appreciate it.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**INTERIOR: RICKY THE MOUTH'S APARTMENT**

His eyes rove the dank apartment, a single bed positioned against the far wall, a puke green comforter covers it, the edges frayed, numerous tears exposing the white cotton stuffing. A dresser propped up against the wall in the corner, one leg horribly bent causing it to list to the left; a tiny window directly above it, the tattered curtains slightly parted, allowing only a glimpse of the virtual city that lies beyond; the light shining through the dirty glass casting odd shaped shadows which dip and bend on the weathered hard wood floor. A thread bare couch is the only other furniture in the room, stains adorn its surface in various shapes and sizes, like a disgusting Rorschach test, but the only interpretation he gleans from the patterns is that he doesn't want his virtual ass anywhere near it.

Looking around he is reminded of how much he loathes starting over. He had the apartment in the last game just the way he wanted it. He had robbed banks, held up convenience stores and committed a plethora of crimes to amass the money for the virtual renovations, but that was not important now; this time was not about long term goals, this was about beating Beckett. His thoughts wander briefly to how she would look in the outfits when he won, but to win he needed to draw her out, and nothing brings out the cops like a good old fashioned bank robbery. Turning his character around and directing him to the closet, he opens the door and grabs a few weapons. Satisfied that he is properly equipped for the task at hand, he exits the apartment and takes the elevator to the buildings garage level, locates his vehicle, tosses the guns in the trunk, and slides into the driver's seat; next stop, Grand Savings and Loan.

**INTERIOR 6th PRECINCT**

A bank robbery, guess he's going for the go big or go home plan, well if he wanted to get her attention, he's got it. Seeing a pair of car keys on the corner of her desk, her alter ego's hands mirroring the movements of her thumbs sweeps on the controller, snatches them, heads for the elevator and depresses the button. Arriving at the garage level, the doors slide open with a soft ding, and she strides across the parking lot and jumps into the first unmarked cruiser. Bending slightly forward at the waist, she puts the key in the ignition, relaxes back and throws the shifter into drive. As the cruiser emerges from the underground garage, she flips the sirens on, and depresses heavily on the controller's gas pedal button, a wicked smile appears on her lips at the sound of the squealing tires in the headset; this is going to be fun. Weaving in and out of traffic, the virtual city a blur in the windshield as the on board GPS shouts out the directions, her hands tilt the controller side to side in synch with the voice in the headset, Grand Savings and Loan, he's a dead man.

**INTERIOR /EXTERIOR GRAND BANK**

Easing his finger on the accelerator button to slow the car, he slips into a spot right out front of the bank, and retrieves the weapons from the trunk. Stuffing the Glock into the waistband of his jeans, AK-47 slung over one shoulder, he enters Grand Savings and Loan, and without preamble begins firing into the ceiling. The sounds of the rapid fire gun shots reverberate in the headset as he makes his way further into the building. Lowering the gun to his side he takes a moment to watch the chaos unfold, virtual characters run and dive for cover, the sounds of their screaming echoing in his head.

Movement on the far left of his screen catches his attention; the bank manager he assumes, judging from his business like attire, running toward the alarm button on the far wall. Excellent, that will get Heats attention, not wanting to waste any more time, he jumps the counter and begins quickly stuffing his bag with cash; he has no doubt that Detective Heat is on her way. With a final warning to keep their heads down, he slings the cash bag over his shoulder and heads for the back door. Cracking the door open, he cranes his neck out and peers into the alley, all clear, kicking the door open the rest of the way, he proceeds down the alley

Pulling her cruiser up outside the bank, she goes to the trunk, dons her Kevlar police vest and grabs the shotgun; breaking into a run around the side of the building towards the back. Just as she rounds the corner she catches his retreating form, and raises the gun.

"Hands up Ricky! Drop the weapons and cash or I will drop you."

"Detective Heat, what took you so long? You know I have a lot of money here, maybe I can buy you dinner." Quickly spinning around to face her and dropping the bag from his shoulder, he flings it out in front of him directly at her. "Or you can buy some for yourself."

The force of the blow knocks her down and the shotgun skids across the alley, out of her reach; she looks up just in time to see him break into a run. Palms to the grounds she hoists herself up, grabs the shotgun, she begins a foot pursuit.

He needs a car, she's right on his tail, as he reaches the end of the alley, he's in luck, a car parked slightly down the road catches his eye, breaking back into a run he heads in that direction.

She so close, seeing him make a left at the end of the alley, she pumps the shotgun, she warned him, guess she's going to have to drop him after all.

Skidding to a stop in front of the car, the sound of the mail box exploding to his right rumbles loudly in his headset.

"Ha! Nice shot Beckett! That mail box is officially dead. At least the city won't have to worry about a wrongful death lawsuit. Although, destroying those letters is definitely a federal offense, so maybe not out of the woods just yet. What's the matter, that gun too big for you?"

His attention is diverted from the game by a sharp jolt of pain to his earlobe, reaching up to soothe the injured appendage, his head snaps in her direction and meets her gaze over the top of his glasses, eyebrows raised in question.

Grasping the arm with her thumb and forefinger, she raises the glasses up to her hairline, and he can't miss the mischievous glint in her eyes

"First of all Castle, I have yet to come across a "gun" too big for me to handle." Her eyes make a slow dirty sweep down his body, lingering a tad longer than necessary on his "assets"; to emphasize her point, than quickly flick back up to meet his eyes again. "And I can shoot just fine; just not with this... stupid joystick!"

Swallowing audibly, he shakes his head to clear the less than PG thoughts that just took up residence in his mind at her heated perusal, not willing to be distracted by her witchy powers, he clears his throat.

"Joystick! Beckett this is not 1970!" This a state of the art RZX1000 Razor Game Controller, with a built-in accelerometer, faux recoil simulation, automatic precision aiming, converts from gun mode to steering with a simple flip to the side and impact vibration technology."

"Wow Castle, impact vibration technology...maybe I should take this on our honeymoon, instead of you."

"Really Beckett, I hardly think we have to resort to taking the game controller with us, I have seen that box of yours and I am positive that you definitely have something comparable, oh, how about that one that…"

"Shut up! " His words abruptly cut off by her hand pressed firmly over his lips. "If you ever want to see that box again you will stop right there."

With a self-satisfied smug he readjusts the glasses, and wiggles his ass, or what he believes to be his ass, because her earlier assumption was correct, he lost feeling hours ago, not that he will admit it to her, and settles back in.

Indulging in a moment of immaturity, she pokes her tongue out at him teasingly and returns the glasses back to their original position just in time to see him slip into the stolen vehicle and take off down the street. Returning to her abandon cruiser just outside the bank, deciding to just drive around for a while, knowing that in this world just like in real life, it will not take too long for Castle to find trouble.

At the street light up ahead, she takes a right, the direction he was traveling last time she saw him, and finds herself on a strip, one reminiscent of Vegas. Neon lights, large hotels and casinos line both sides of the street, her eyes glancing back and forth; she takes in the virtual characters that are wandering the sidewalks. Showgirls, large feather boas draped loosely over their shoulders, colorful outfits adorned with sequins, a drunk who is teetering along bumping into signs, a brown bag clutched in his hand, couples walking arm and arm, and once again she finds herself astounded by the realism of the game, she is starting to see how easily one could get hooked on playing.

Continuing down the strip, the scenery begins to change, gone are the large casinos and grand hotels, replaced by smaller strip malls and single store fronts with blacked out windows. The neon XXX's highlight the street below them with vibrant colors and tattered signs stapled to telephone poles promising patrons a variety of shows that you would not see on the strip. Intending on making a U-turn, she slows the cruiser to a snail's pace, checks to make sure there are no cars coming in the other direction, when she spots him. Unbelievable! Apparently this world has prostitutes too, and there he is chatting one of them up, he's a dead man. Her hands grip the controller with such force her knuckles blanch white; her finger presses unforgivingly on the accelerator button, causing the tires on the car to spin, a squealing noise resonates through the headset. Using her free hand to yank her Glock from the shoulder holster, she stretches her arm out the window, and opens fire.

He sees her too late, at the sound of the tires squealing, he looks up and sees her arm appear out the side window, gun pointed, as a bullet whizzes by his head. Shoving the blonde out of his path, he snaps his head back up just in time to see the headlights as she plows her cruiser right into him. His body crushed between her front bumper and the brick wall: this was not the way he planned it, he apparently misjudged her reaction. He watches helplessly pinned to the wall by her cruiser, his health meter slowly losing energy as she kicks the car door open, slides her Glock back into the shoulder holster, struts up to the blonde prostitute lying face down on the sidewalk and nudges her with the toe of her heel.

"Nice one Dirty Harry! And a civilian death to boot…that's a no-no, Beckett, you lose a life."

"Seriously Castle! A prostitute! You're lucky you died before I got the chance to beat the rest of your health out of you."

"I was just trying to distract you, throw you off your game, I never expected you to go all terminator, smooth driving by the way, very Lindsay Lohan."

"Talk about smooth, you pushed her into the line of fire, you totally did that on purpose, you cheated!"

"What! I did not cheat! You wound me detective, I was trying to save her, I was pushing her out of the way."

"If by "saving" her you mean using her for a human shield, then we agree."

"Don't take it out on me because you can't shoot straight, were your eyes actually open or were you counting on the force Obi-One?"

"You know what Castle, if I wanted all this talk I would have asked Lanie for a girl's day, so unless you want to braid each other's hair, put on your big girl panties and let's finish this. Score is one death each, let's play!"

TBC

_**AN: I know this chapter was a tad heavier on the game side, but now that the game is set up, next chapter will definitely have more banter. If you would like to follow me on twitter you can do so at Pak_321 I also have an additional twitter account where I use the quotes to recreate the scene from the show, twitter sized. You can follow that at Castleficlets. **__** As always, thank you to TSHLW for the hours spent helping me put this story together, beta skills, story suggestions and encouragement, and KJF3333/Flashpoint for your super ninja beta skills and story suggestions, you both are the best. A shout out to JoanaCTeixeira for taking the time to read these in advance and share her opinions, I appreciate it. *Fist Bump**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**AN: I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed, recommended on twitter and added this story to their favorites. I know this story was not your typical fic., so thank you for coming along while I indulged in some frivolity; it is greatly appreciated. This is the last chapter, it is on the long side, but I could not find a break point. So without further delay let's find out who winner is. **_

_**Please note - Any words in italics are coming from the game, characters, police dispatch etc., not Castle and Beckett. **_

**INTERIOR RICKY THE MOUTH'S APARTMENT**

Well, that was an interesting outcome; the whole vehicular manslaughter angle was completely unexpected, clever, but unexpected none the less. He's misjudged her, assumed her moral code, her by the book attitude would transfer to her behavior in the game; but her last kill proved him wrong. With a shudder he's relatively certain that a Beckett without rules is something he never wants to see in real life. The elevator opens on the lobby floor, slinging the black bag over his shoulder; he crosses the lobby, shoves the door open and heads out onto the virtual street ahead.

Jabbing his elbow into the widow of the first car he sees, the glass shatters from the impact, he reaches in and pulls the handle. Settling in, he twists a few wires, and the engine roars to life as he haphazardly tosses his bag into the back and jerks the shifter into drive. Settling on his next move, he's decides that taunting Beckett in the virtual world may actually be more fun than in real life, and he has a plan.

**INTERIOR 6th PRECINCT**

Resting the controller in her lap, she wiggles and stretches her fingers releasing some of the tension, knuckles cracking loudly with each bend and flex. Seriously, how does he play this game for hours and not get carpel tunnel? She absently toys with the idea that maybe she should let him play, a little stamina practice for his oh so talented digits. She has always loved his fingers or more specifically what he could do with them.

Shaking her head and blinking her eyes in an effort to snap her mind out of the gutter her thoughts were just swirling in, she focuses her attention back to the game. Where is she again, that's right the precinct, ok, so apparently upon death her character returns here; speaking of her death, a prostitute, ugh! He definitely cheated, pushing her out of the way…pfft! She suspects her previous allegation of human shield is much more accurate. She's not surprised in the least that his virtual self can be just as infuriating as his non-virtual self; weasel. The peel of her phone ringing in the headset rouses her from non-virtual musings; no doubt dispatch reporting that Castle is up to no good.

"Heat!"

"I would like to report a hit and run."

"Really, would you now, why don't you come down to the station and we can reenact the event."

"Detective, are you suggesting a little role play? Good cop...Dirty cop maybe? That officer McNaughty outfit would be perfect; you know how much I love dirty cop. And as far as coming down to the station, I am already here, sorry I can't come in and play."

He wants to play dirty, she'll show him dirty, and not the kind he has in mind. Judging by the connotation she picked up in the tone of his voice, the way he dragged out the word dirty, letting it roll off his tongue slowly, she knows exactly what he's thinking. The salacious images she's absolutely sure are swirling around in that over active imagination of his right now, his mind fully invested in planning some extracurricular activities for later; pervert.

Slamming the phone down on the receiver, she pushes herself up and out of the chair, the force driving it backwards into the desk behind hers. Breaking into a run, she reaches the stairs and descends them at a full speed; her pace never wavering as she crosses the lobby and bursts through the front door, coming to an abrupt stop at the sidewalk; gun drawn.

With a flick of his finger on the controller, his virtual self slides the cell phone into the pocket of his jeans. He can feel the anticipation thrumming through him, as his thumb depresses heavily on the brake button, the tip of it red from the effort, forefinger pulsing up and down on the gas button, any second now.

The sound of the reviving engine draws her eyes to the right, the son of a bitch actually stole her cruiser, well not actually her cruiser per se, but it's the principle. Without hesitation she raises her weapon and begins firing rounds in a quick succession. The ping and pop of the bullets hitting the car reverberate in the headset, shredding the metal, large gaping holes appearing, and the sound of shattering glass rings in the headset as a bullet strikes the rear window.

"Nice shooting detective seems destroying police property is becoming a habit for you." His voice alights with a hint of amusement, a clear appreciation at his own cleverness with his next words. "On the upside, at least it seems you finally got the hang of using my...…joystick."

"Joystick, gun, whatever, I told you Castle, I have yet to find one I can't handle, does seem a shame though th….."

Cutting off her words midsentence, his witty retort dances off his tongue. "A shame that you have to restrain yourself till the games over before you can show me your newly acquired skills?" His enthusiasm at his own brilliance, causing her to roll her eyes.

"No Castle, it's a shame that after today, your hand, will be the only thing touching your "joystick", ever again."

With a huff, he slides his thumb off the brake while simultaneously pressing down fully on the gas. The tires squeal in protest; the rear end of the cruiser swings violently left to right, before lurching forward, a trail of rubber and a thick plume of smoke left behind.

Her eyes track his getaway as he blows through the red light at the intersection, the car skidding sideways as horns blare, and brakes screech; with one final spin of the tires, he disappears from sight.

A car pulling up in front catches her attention, a fellow officer, the car slowing to pull into a spot directly in front of her. Stepping off the sidewalk, she snatches the keys from his hand, and jumps into the cruiser. Flipping the sirens on as she turns the controller sharply to the left, she presses down on the gas button. The rear end swings in a wide arc right, tires squealing, smoke filling the air as she pivots the controller side to side, finally righting the vehicles direction, and taking off in pursuit.

"Nice one Castle, you graduated from stealing police horses to squad cars, maybe you can manage to keep your clothes on this time."

"Detective, are you just hoping to see my virtual-self naked? Shameless! I am kinda busy right now evading you, but if you want to stop by my apartment later that can be arranged and bring your handcuffs."

"Keep dreaming Castle, that ship definitely sailed this morning, in the virtual world as well as your real one."

_Dispatch: We have a 503 in progress at the corner of Grand Ave and Banks St._

"No shit, thanks for the tip, already on it."

_Dispatch: We have a 505 in progress at Strathmore and Cater St._

"Seriously, does this thing ever shut up? It's like riding with Castle!"

_Dispatch: We have 510 in progress Fairmont Ave and Central St._

Considering she's been chasing him for at least ten minutes already, she's finding dispatch to be less than helpful. With a fleeting thought she wonders if there is a way to disable the feature, other than shooting the radio, because seriously, dispatch is a douche. Rounding the corner, she spots the stolen cruiser up ahead, well, what used to be a cruiser, he's such an ass. Slamming on the brake button, her hands tilt the controller sharply to the left causing the car to slide, tires bumping the curb with a loud thump; the vehicle rocking slightly on its shocks.

Gun drawn she approaches the cruiser, steps cautious, as her eyes scan the vehicle for any signs of movement; but surprisingly finding it empty. Taking a step back to survey the vehicular carnage, it's a mystery as to how he was able to get out unharmed. The whole vehicle is listing heavily to the left; the far right front corner of the bumper is caught on its very edge, balancing precariously on a fire hydrant, teetering like a metronome. Water spouting into the air flooding the sidewalk, the whole scene is a cautionary tale; a reminder of why she's never lets him drive her actual squad car.

Stepping away from the wreckage, and scanning the surrounding area, she spots him. Well, not his whole body but his eyes, like a Peeping Tom, from in between the gap in the curtains at bar across the street; jackass. The building facade is brick face, a single door surround by two large windows. The awing overhead the entrance gives away the true clientele, 'The Bada Bing', now that's original. Apparently the game manufacturer had a sense of humor because it even comes with its very own greasy, steroid addict bouncer-doorstop. As she makes her way across the street, her only thought is, he will be sorry if he gets in her way.

_Two bucks _

Moving her thumb on the controller, she tries to step past him to the left but his movements mirror hers, blocking her path.

_Two bucks_

This is unbelievable; does this asshat say anything else? He's really starting to piss her off. Shifting to her right, she finds her path once again blocked.

_Two bucks_

"Hey Heat, if you're short on funds I saw a strip club down the street, sign out front said they were hiring."

With a predatory snarl, she hits the red and blue buttons on the controller simultaneously; the combined action of the dual button combo drives her virtual character's knee straight into the bouncer's groin.

"Whoa! Holy shit Beckett! He said the cover charge was two bucks not two balls, talk about police brutality!"

"You want to see police brutally, why don't you step outside and get in front of the cruiser again, this time, after I hit you, I will back up and run you over again."

"I love it when you talk dirty to me detective, but now is hardy the time. And on a side note, they should lose the cover fee in the retail version; two dollars is two dollars too much, this place is a dump; god knows what kind of virtual germs have taken up residence in this place."

"Tell ya what Castle, when your done writing your review for Yelp, come on out and I will give you a shot."

Stepping over the bouncer, her heel snags on his jacket parting it slightly; and she sees exactly what she needs, an M7 sub-machine gun, perfect. He's so dead. Crouching down beside the body, she releases it from the shoulder strap, tucks it securely into the crook of her arm, crosses the threshold and opens fire.

He dives behind the bar as the sound of splintering wood filters through the headset; the wood quickly disintegrates around him as she relentlessly hammers round after round into it. He regrets only grabbing the Glock when he exited his apartment earlier, as he listens to the rapid barrage of gun fire repeating in his headset, he knows he is severely out gunned. Well, not completely out gunned, but the surprise he has tucked away in his black bag is not appropriate for such a confined space, he needs a special scenario to give her that little gift.

Dropping to the floor on his stomach, arms bent at a ninety degree angle, he wiggles his hips as he army crawls to get a better look. Reaching the far end of the bar, he cranes his neck around the corner, and watches as she sprays the room with automatic fire. It's like a scene from an action movie, bottles shatter casting the alcohol that was contained in them to mist into the air like sea spray off a wave, a juke box in the corner, the music warbling to a stop as it succumbs it's injuries, empty shell casings litter the floor as she continues to take out everyone and everything in her path; complete and udder destruction.

For a brief moment, he would swear that her virtual character was sporting the same amused smirk that he just now saw on her face. As he continues to watch the chaos unfold, any previous doubts he had before are now gone, he is one hundred percent sure; a Beckett with no rules is something he never wants to experience in real life. He needs an exit strategy and the sooner the better, she is a tad out of control and he wants nothing more than to get his virtual ass out of there. A sudden break in the gun fire; he surmises she must be reloading, provides him the opportunity he needs. Pushing his body up and off the floor, he grabs the black bag and runs to the exit at the back of the bar.

"Where are you going Ricky? I was just about to buy you a drink."

"You know Heat; this place is just not as lively as it was when I first got here." His eyes make a quick sweep around the room; taking in the mangled menagerie of dead gangsters strewn about. "It's actually kinda dead, I am out of here."

Throwing his shoulder into the door, he slips through the opening and breaks into a run down the alley behind the bar.

She snaps the clip into place just as he slips through the door. Bending to grab a few more clips from the dead bodies, and stuffing them in her vest pocket, she takes off after him.

The sound of bullets ricocheting off the wall to his left lets him know she is not far behind. Reaching the end of the alley he sees it; like a gift from the gaming gods, it's perfect. Guaranteed to throw her off her game, a smirk appears on his non virtual lips; she's going to be pissed.

He is proving to be quite hard to kill, she has no idea how the hell he escaped the bar unscathed; but as she pulls back on the bolt to cock her favorite new toy, the M7, that is something she plans on remedying very soon. Reaching the end of the alley, gun at the ready she scans the street. The virtual sun is beginning to set over the tops of the skyscrapers in the distance, and the warm glow of the street lamps reflect off the darkened store front windows. Horns blare in the distance, and the soft swoosh of the passing cars on the street before her fill her headset; as people from all walks of life amble down the virtual sidewalks.

The sound of laughter draws her attention to the left, a jet black limo, the windows tinted a deep black, the high polish on the chrome rims catch the last rays of the setting afternoon sun, causing them to sparkle. A group of young woman hang out of the sunroof; glasses of champagne clasped in their hands, arms waving in the air; their shrill screams of excitement rising above the sounds of the city. Turning away from the street, the sound of her name draws her attention back to the limo.

"Hey Heat, can we give you a lift to the strip club? Wouldn't want you to be late for your job interview."

What the hell is it with this game! Prostitutes, bimbos in limousines; in a sudden vision of clarity, she's absolutely positive that it was designed by a bunch of guys who haven't gotten laid in...well…ever! Her finger instinctively twitches on the trigger of the gun, so tempted to just say fuck it and open fire, civilian deaths be damned, but she's wise to his tricks this time, she won't be sucked in.

"Not this time Ricky. Got yourself a car full of human shields there I see."

"Don't be jealous Heat; there is plenty of room for you too. Although, you may have to sit on one of the girl's laps, it's a tad crowded in here."

Tamping down the response that is struggling to leave her lips, she'd rather wait and give it to him face to face, or more specifically, face to M7. Running back to her cruiser outside the bar, she catches sight of the limo as it passes by just up head at the corner. Sliding into the car, she slams on the gas pedal, and throws on the sirens; he is a dead man.

That did not go exactly as planned; he was so sure that this Beckett, the one he is now referring to as "bat shit crazy game Beckett" would not be able to resist opening fire on the limo and taking out a few civilians in the process. She did seem entirely too fond of that new machine gun she scored at the bar to let the opportunity of firing a few rounds at him pass her by.

He turns to glance out the rear window and sees the familiar flash of red and blue off in the distance, she'd gaining on him, the limo is too slow, he won't be able to outrun her, he definitely needs a new plan and quick. Popping up through the sunroof to get a better idea of how close she is, he's struck by inspiration, a moment of pure genius; his eyes fall to the bag resting on the seat, this is going to be awesome. Drawing his gun he presses it to the back of the drivers head and directs him to pull the car over.

She can see the taillights up ahead in the distance as the limo pulls away from curb and takes a sharp left, a quick glance at her on board GPS and she knows exactly where he is heading. The sirens clear the way for her as she passes the turn off he made, and heads for the next on ramp; he'll never see her coming.

Getting rid of the driver and girls was the right choice, he may have given Heat the chance to gain some ground, but dumping the added weight of the passengers was definitely worth it; plus all the giggling and screeching was driving him up the wall. Tilting the controller to the right he guns it up the on ramp and merges onto the highway.

Without warning the thunderous crunch of metal to metal contact booms in the headset, the limo jerks violently to the left as she rams her cruiser into the passenger side of the limo.

"I see you finished your classes at the Lindsay Lohan driving school, kudos, looks like you aced the final exam."

"Well you know me Castle; I was always a quick study."

"Speaking of school, TheBootyBoutique. com has this one called the Frisky Freshman, a dark plaid bra, matching mini skirt, black leather lace-up vest, very classy Beckett."

"I don't know Castle, you definitely have the legs for the skirt, but a leather lace up vest, umm..kind of screams "I'm easy", does it come in your size or will you have to do a special order?"

A grating scrape resonates in the headset as she sideswipes his vehicle again; thinking quickly he punches his thumb on the brake button and glides the limo in behind her cruiser and hits the gas striking the back bumper.

The jolt of the collision shoves the car forward, as she weaves back and forth in a vain effort to shake him off her tail. Feeling her irritation begin to rise, she slides her finger on the controller and gives a quick tap on the brake, then presses back fully on the gas.

"Get off my rear end Castle!"

"I didn't hear you complaining last night."

With a frustrated huff, she jerks the wheel to the left, while slowing the vehicle at the same time, a perfectly synchronized move, putting the two vehicles side by side.

That was a nice move, he's impressed, she's proving to be quite an adept player. Unfortunately for her, her cleverness will be rewarded with her virtual death. Keeping his eyes on the road, he reaches into the bag on the passenger seat and extracts his surprise; a RPG-7 Rocket propelled grenade launcher. Sweet. Propping the end on his left shoulder, he points the weapon out the open driver's window and pulls the trigger. A deafening explosion thunders through the headsets, as a lone tire, the only remaining piece of her cruiser, completely engulfed in flames wobbles down the highway.

"Booyah! Looks like you are going to need a shop vac to clean up your character Beckett, only one life left."

"Seriously Castle, a grenade launcher!"

"What can I say Beckett, right tool for the job and all that, plus I wanted to make it interesting for the CSU."

"Where the hell did you even get that?"

"I know a guy."

"You're a dead man Castle."

"Big words from a pile of virtual dust Beckett, score is two deaths to one. By the way, what are your thoughts on full length leather boots; do you prefer lace ups or a zipper? "

"Shut up!"

**INTERIOR 6TH PRECINCT**

A grenade launcher, he really is an ass, unbelievable! She has grossly underestimated his obvious enthusiasm for the game. She needs a plan, because there is no way she's spending her honeymoon touring Roswell, hunting Bigfoot or the Lochness Monster; or any other crazy ideas she's sure have already crossed his mind.

He has to admit, all this talk about sexy outfits and their flirtatious banter is making him a little hot. He loves how she can give it back just as well as she takes it. She truly is extraordinary and completely adorable when she's angry; even if it is at him. Stealing a glance at her he feels a full smile pull at his lips, her brow is furrowed in concentration, tip of her tongue poking out between teeth, and he finds his interest in this game beginning to wane. Punching the accelerator he takes the next exit and heads back into the city.

She feels like she has been waiting forever, dispatch for once is eerily silent, of course, grabbing the keys off the desk and sliding her gun into the holster, maybe an active search is in order.

The elevator opens with a soft ping, taking in his surroundings as he steps off the elevator and strides across the precinct floor; remote firmly clutched in his virtual hand.

Too focused on her characters movements she doesn't see him until it is too late. He's coming right at her, quickly drawing her weapon up she never gets the chance to fire off the shot.

The explosion is, well, is one of epic proportions, burnt orange flames and thick black fumes of smoke fill her vision, the entire precinct obliterated. Throwing her glasses to the floor her hand darts out to the side and punches him in the arm.

"What the hell Castle! You can't just go all Kamikaze! You cheated again, you weasel!."

Ripping his glasses off, her breath catches at the look she sees in his eyes, full of desire, pure lust swimming in his deep blue orbs. Drawing his knees towards his chest, one palm flat to the floor he pushes himself up, grabbing her hand to hoist her up with him; her body collides roughly with his; her hands landing on his chest palms flat.

Pulling back slightly, eyes locking, his fingertips teasingly trace the column of her spine, interlocking his fingers just above the waistband of her skinny jeans and pulling her closer.

"Technically.. yes, I cheated. But as a consolation prize Beckett you can pick the honeymoon location."

Dragging her palm up the smooth plane of his chest, her hand comes to rest at the nape of his neck, finger tips gently swirling random patterns in the short hairs. She leans in, her breath mingles with his, the words a silky whisper from her lips.

"And no more video games on my days off?"

He breaths his answer into her lips, his forehead coming to rest lovingly upon hers.

"Agreed."

"But, it is still my day off and I know a game we can play, one that we will both enjoy."

A hint of amusement flashes in his eyes, as his hand mockingly reaches for the controller.

"Will we be needing this?"

Her hand descends slowly down his chest, her long nimble fingers leaving a hot trail in their wake. Tripping over his belt buckle, and reaching her none too subtle destination, a sexy smirk plays on her lips; a smoldering leer dances in her eyes.

"No, I don't think we will need that." Her hand gives him a light squeeze to emphasize her point. "I already have the perfect joystick, for the game I have in mind."

_**Additional AN: **__**Police Codes - 503 Auto theft 505 Reckless driving 510 Speeding or racing vehicles. **__**The Officer McNaughty and TheBootyBoutique. com references are from my other story Totally Inappropriate, if you want to go check it out. **__**If you would like to follow me on twitter you can do so at Pak_321 I also have an additional twitter account where I use the quotes to recreate scenes from the show, twitter sized. You can follow that at Castleficlets. **____**Once again, thank you to Tshlw and Kjf3333/Flashpoint for your beta skills, suggestions and encouragement, you guys are the best. A shout out to JoanaCTeixeira for taking the time to read my chapters in advance and offer your opinions**_


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